


How to Win a Fighter's Heart

by musicofthespheres



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Gochi awards, Highschool AU, frankenberu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 13:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17044391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicofthespheres/pseuds/musicofthespheres
Summary: The daughter of a famous martial arts champion, Chichi transfers to a new high school and develops a crush on the martial arts team's best fighter, Goku and discovers they're connected by their family history.





	How to Win a Fighter's Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This is an award fic for [The Gochi Awards](https://the-gochi-awards.tumblr.com) 2018 winner for Best School AU by [frankenberu](https://frankenberu.tumblr.com/)! It was such a pleasure to write and I hope you enjoy it.

Chichi adjusted her skirt and sat down on the low wall. Ever since she had transferred schools, she’d been eating lunch by herself. She didn’t mind; watching her classmates roam around in twos and threes was as interesting a pastime as any, and it gave her a chance to actually enjoy her meal. As she pulled her bento box full of last night’s leftovers out of her backpack, she glanced up to see _him_ walk by. 

He was in the same year as her, but his homeroom was down the hall and she never got to see him. She didn’t even know his name, but he was tall and had a kind face--and a big appetite. She watched as he passed by with a group of other boys to their favourite spot on the quad, under the shade of a huge oak tree. 

“He’s cute, isn’t he?” a feminine voice piped up from behind her. Chichi swung her head around to see one of the third years, Bulma Briefs, standing with her hands on her hips. “There isn’t a girl in school who hasn’t had a crush on him since he transferred in.” 

Chichi tucked her hair shyly behind her ears and blushed. “I don’t even know his name,” she told her lunch. “Or that he was a transfer student. Everyone seems to know him, so I thought…” she trailed off, her eyes drawn back to him as he threw his head back with laughter.

Bulma took it upon herself to sit beside Chichi and dug out her own lunch. “His name is Goku Son,” she informed her while popping an entire spring roll in her mouth. “He’s from Mt. Paozu, but he got in on a scholarship. He’s the school’s star athlete.” 

Chichi nodded. She’d heard that. Sometimes, her class shared gym time with his. He was unmatched in both skill and stamina, and was always raring to go for the next activity even when his classmates were ready to call it a day. 

Not that she’d been staring, or anything. 

“You’re Chichi, right? I don’t think we’ve actually spoken before.” 

Chichi shook her head. Third years didn’t speak to first years very often. And nobody spoke to _her_. Why would they? She was quiet and stuck to herself. 

“Bulma Briefs,” Bulma said, sticking her hand out amiably. “It’s nice to meet you. You’re a transfer student too, right?” 

“Chichi King,” Chichi replied, surprised at how firm Bulma’s handshake was. “And I am, yes. How did you know that?” 

Bulma winked. “I’m the president of the student body. It’s my job to know everything about everyone. So if you’re ever wondering anything about a certain someone,” she said, glancing over at the boys, “I’m your gal.” 

“Th-thank you.” 

“Now, did you want to eat lunch by yourself or would you like some company?” Bulma said, opening another bag from her backpack. 

Who was Chichi to refuse? 

They ate the rest of their lunch, Chichi keeping quiet as Bulma told her everything there was to know about each student passing by. 

“Later,” Bulma said once she was finished with most of her food, “I’ll introduce you to some of my friends. I think you’d like them.” 

“Is Goku one of them?” Chichi asked without thinking, then immediately clamped both hands over her mouth, eyes widening in embarrassment at her slip-up. 

Bulma chuckled. “Yes, as a matter of fact, he is. He’d love to meet you, I’m sure. Oh look, he’s looking this way!” she said, waving to keep his attention. 

Chichi was mortified. “No, not right _now_ ,” she said, pulling her bag up onto her lap like a shield. 

“Oh, it’s fine. He’s really friendly, I promise,” Bulma said, gesturing for him to come say hi. 

Standing up to his full height, Goku jogged across the lawn to where the two girls sat. “Heya, Bulma!” he said. “Who’s your friend?” 

“This is Chichi King, she transferred in last month,” Bulma said. 

“Nice to meet ya!” Goku said, turning to address Chichi. He tapped his chin, brow furrowing in thought. “Your name sounds familiar. Have we met before?” 

Chichi shook her head, dumbfounded. 

“Where are you from?” he asked, prodding further. 

“F-fire Mountain, originally,” she managed to stutter. 

Goku’s eyes lit up and he smacked his temple in realization. “Of course! Your father is Ox King, right?” 

Now it was Bulma’s turn to look confused. “Who’s that?” 

Goku’s entire body thrummed with energy as he bounced from foot to foot in excitement. “Only the most famous martial artist of the last decade!” he said like it should be obvious to her. 

Bulma shook her head. “You know West City isn’t really known for its martial arts fans,” she chuckled. Ah--so _that’s_ why Bulma’s forwardness seemed so out of place to Chichi. West City was clear on the other side of the province, but it might as well have been on a different planet. It was the epitome of modern, from the styles, the buildings, and even the people. Chichi had big plans to work in West City one day, and now here stood before her someone who was raised there. 

Chichi was starstruck, and yet Goku was the one teeming with questions. He asked about her father, his career, his training regimen… and finally, the question she’d been dreading: 

“What about you? Do _you_ do martial arts?” 

Chichi swallowed the lump in her throat. “Ah, yes,” she whispered. “But there’s no women’s program for it in any of the high schools in the country, so I have to train in my father’s dojo-”

Goku’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “Chichi, may I come over after school? I’d _really_ like to meet your dad, and maybe you and I could spar-”

“Goku,” Bulma interrupted, turning on her Older Student voice. “You can’t just barge in on people’s lives like that. Where are your manners?” 

Chichi was too in shock to notice his rudeness. Goku, the cutest boy in school, wanted to meet _her_ father. And spar with _her_. Ten minutes ago, she didn’t even know his name.

“No, it’s okay,” Chichi said quickly once Bulma was done lecturing. “Um, I’d really like that.” 

“Okay! I’ll meet you here after class!” Goku announced triumphantly just as the bell rang.

===============

As it turned out, Chichi’s father had once been good friends with Goku’s adoptive grandfather, Gohan. They had trained under the same master, and Goku himself had received the old man’s tutelage as well when he was a preteen.

Ox was also more than happy to show him the dojo, and Chichi was relieved. Usually, her father kept a strict eye on her friendships to make sure she wasn’t hanging around with the wrong crowd. But Goku’s reputation had preceded him, and their serendipitous connection had only solidified her old man’s esteem for him. 

“Chichi said she practices martial arts as well,” she overheard Goku say as they re-entered the house. She had been working on her AP Literature course; the class was going over Journey to the West, and their assignment today was to compare Sun Wukong to other legendary figures from other stories they’d considered. Her attention was divided; there would be no concentration with Goku so near to her. Her thoughts kept wandering to their conversation earlier that day. 

The kettle finished boiling just as the men stepped into the kitchen. Chichi stood from her place at the table and began preparing a pot of green tea, first letting the water temperature cool so as not to burn the leaves, and then setting out a small tray of snacks for everyone. 

“Thank you, sweetie,” her father said, kissing her forehead and taking a rice cracker from the tray. “You two have fun with your homework. If you’d like some pointers when you spar later, I’ll be in my study.” 

And with that, he left the two of them alone. 

Goku retrieved his backpack from its place by the front door and returned to the kitchen with a dopey grin on his face. 

“What’s that about?” Chichi asked, warming her hands on her mug. 

“Your dad is _awesome_. And he told me that you’re really good at fighting. You should try out for the team… it’s not just for boys, you know.” 

Chichi fiddled with her pencil, tapping it against the paper and spinning it around her fingers. “I dunno. Maybe,” she replied noncommittally. “There aren’t any other girls, so it might be weird.” 

Goku shrugged. “I don’t see why that would be a problem. You get in based on merit, not your gender.” 

That wasn’t really what she meant, but she didn’t expect such a happy go lucky guy like Goku to understand. “I’ll think about it.” 

“I’d be happy to introduce you to everyone.” Goku chose the spot closest to Chichi, pulling his homework from his backpack. “They’re all really nice.” 

“I’m sure they are,” Chichi replied, fidgeting with the handle of the mug. “But I have a lot on my plate right now.” 

Goku left it at that and turned his attention to the homework spread out in front of him. 

They worked together in silence, the only sound in the kitchen being the scratching of their pencils and the ticking of the clock on the wall. 

When Chichi was finished, she looked up to see Goku playing on his phone. “Done already?” she asked. 

“I was done thirty minutes ago,” Goku replied with a grin. “Looks like you’ve got way more homework than I do.” 

Chichi knew that many of the athletes didn’t take AP classes because they were so focused on their sport. That was another reason for her not to join the team: there was no way she wanted to pile physical fatigue on top of the mental fatigue she already felt most nights. Luckily for her, she’d begun her homework in class and wouldn’t need to spend any more time with it tonight. 

“So, you wanna spar? I’ve got my _gi_ in my bag, if I could get changed…” 

“There’s enough room in the bathroom down the hall. I’ll get changed in my room and meet you in the dojo, okay?” 

Goku nodded excitedly. “See you there!”

===============

Goku was skilled, there was no doubt about that.

Chichi was also out of practice. She’d been busy with coursework and her father had been occupied with his own things, so they hadn’t had a chance to spar in months. Chichi dodged a kick aimed at her left shoulder, rolling forward and attempting to knock her opponent off-balance. He anticipated every move, and by the end of the first match, she’d barely landed a blow on him. 

Ox watched silently from the sidelines until Goku had Chichi pinned on her back. “Goku wins!” he called out, taking to his feet and striding over to the pair. “Excellent form, my boy. Did you learn that technique from the Turtle Hermit?” he asked, referring to his old master’s moniker. 

 

“No, that one was from Master Kami,” Goku said, straightening up and offering a hand to help Chichi off the floor. 

Exhausted as she was, Chichi was grateful for the assistance. The fight had winded her, but she couldn’t even be mad at her defeat. Goku was on a whole other level. She was pretty sure he’d gone easy on her. 

“Kami? As in the master at the Lookout dojo?” 

“The one and only,” Goku confirmed. 

Ox shook his head in awe. Chichi had never seen her father dumbstruck, but his jaw nearly hit the floor at Goku’s revelation. 

“Who’s Master Kami?” she asked. 

“A legend,” her father said. “He only accepts the best of the best. Your friend here must be a prodigy.” He turned back to Goku. “I don’t think there is anything you could learn from me that you don’t already know.” 

“Aw, I’m sure there are some secrets that Master Roshi didn’t teach me,” Goku said modestly, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Well, please feel free to come visit the dojo any time you’re not using your own.” 

“Ah, I don’t actually have somewhere to train except at school.” 

Chichi glanced up sharply. A prodigy like him didn’t have a training space? That didn’t seem right. “Then you need to train here,” she said, her own boldness surprising her. She was afraid of coming across as too forward, but Goku simply smiled.

“It’s a deal!” he said, and Chichi’s heart fluttered at the thought of walking home from school with him every day.

===============

The next day at school, Chichi waved at Goku in the hallway when he passed with his friends. She was expecting them to keep walking, off to train or hang out or whatever it was groups of boys did, but Goku had other plans.

He proudly introduced her: “Hey guys, this is Chichi King! She’s Ox King’s daughter, can you believe it?” 

Chichi was not prepared to be idolized by a group of teenage boys--that honour was usually left to the popular, outgoing girls who always had a new flavour of the week on their arms, but she managed to stammer a hello to them as they crowded around her. 

“This is Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien,” Goku said, pointing each one out in turn. “Yamcha and Tien are third years and Krillin is a first year like us.” 

Chichi nodded at them. “It’s nice to meet you all,” she said after they’d finally stopped ooh-ing and ahh-ing. “And to answer your questions: Yes, Ox is my dad and yes I have a dojo in my backyard. Didn’t you already tell them that, Goku?” 

“He did,” Krillin said. “We didn’t believe him. It’s such an honour to meet you!” 

“I’m just me,” Chichi replied, the redness of her cheeks spreading to her ears. “I’m nobody special, I promise. But I have to go.” She ducked her head and took her leave, escaping down the hall before they could disagree. 

At lunch, she sat down in her usual spot and pulled out her bento. She had packed a little extra today, just in case she had company again. She knew Bulma probably wouldn’t join her again, having her own group of friends, but there was the smallest possibility that Goku would seek her out. She figured he would want to stay on her good side to be able to continue using the dojo, but she wanted him to like _her_ , too. 

And, true to her hopes, Goku strolled up to her holding a fast food bag. “Hey,” he said, rubbing the back of his head in characteristic nervousness. “You wanna eat together?” 

“I’d like that,” Chichi said, relieved that he was alone and not with his friends--as much as she’d liked them. She wanted to get to know him alone, even though they’d have time to do that at her house--and it sounded like that would be a daily occurrence. As long as her homework didn’t suffer, Chichi had no problem with that. “I made you something,” she said, rummaging through the picnic box next to her. She presented him with a small bag containing extras of what she’d made for herself and an extra pair of chopsticks. 

“Aw man, this is way better than fast food,” Goku said, pulling the ribbon off and surveying the contents. “Thank you!” he exclaimed, stuffing a roll into his mouth. 

He leaned toward her as they ate, asking questions about her life, her classes, anything that came to his mind, and listening intently to her answers. 

Chichi felt self-conscious with the attention and couldn’t help but ramble when going on about herself. She asked him questions in return and discovered that he had only transferred to the school a few months before she did. He had been in a public high school near West City, where Bulma was from, and they’d actually known each other as kids. He used to fight in local tournaments, and a recruiter from the academy approached him and offered a scholarship, and the rest was history. 

Despite his background, he’d adapted quickly to the rigid environment of the academy. His connection to Bulma had granted him instant popularity, but Chichi could tell he held onto it by his own merit. His easygoing, approachable demeanour ensured that everyone was a friend. Being handsome and a good athlete didn’t hurt, either.

“I pretty much live to fight,” he said, mouth full of sushi. “After I graduate, I’m going to enter the world tournament. Sensei wants me to be totally ready first, otherwise I’d have entered already.” 

“But you fight in local and regional tournaments to practice, isn’t that right?” Chichi asked. “When’s your next one? I’d love to see it.” 

“In a couple of weeks, actually. Say, Chi,” he said, turning toward her and setting her heart a-flutter with his casual familiarity. “Why don’t _you_ enter?” 

“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly,” she said, shaking her head vehemently. “I’m totally out of practice.” 

“Maybe, but you showed real promise when we sparred yesterday. If we keep it up, you’ll be shipshape in no time. If you’re not going to join the team, this would be a good way to keep up with it.” 

“Is this how you get all the other girls to hang out with you too?” Chichi asked, blushing at her own boldness. 

Goku blinked. “Uh, I’ve never asked a girl to fight with me before, actually. I guess there’s a first time for everything!” His cheeks tinted a lovely shade of pink and Chichi was glad she wasn’t the only one getting flustered about this. 

The bell rang, and Chichi looked at her phone. Had the hour passed _that_ quickly? She packed away the empty bento into her backpack and sighed. He seemed to enjoy her company, so she drew up the courage to ask: “Lunch again tomorrow?” 

“Let me bring you something this time,” Goku said eagerly. “I promise it won’t be chicken nuggets.” 

Chichi couldn’t help but giggle. “I would be fine with whatever you want to bring,” she said, but was glad he wanted to put in the effort. 

He met her outside after school once again, but this time he offered her his arm as they walked. Without thinking, she took it--it felt _right_ just then, until heads started to turn and she could hear whispering as they left the property. 

People were going to think they were a _couple_. 

She pulled her arm back out, pretending to check something in her backpack. Goku looked almost disappointed when she let it fall to her side when she was done. She didn’t have a lot of experience around boys, and he was just being a gentleman… wasn’t he? 

“Hey, Goku,” she said as they turned onto her street.

He acknowledged her with a tilt of his head, waiting for her to go on. 

If she didn’t ask now, she’d be wondering forever. And besides, she was starting to enjoy speaking her mind. “Uh, h-how come you wanted to link arms, earlier?” 

“My grandpa taught me always to be nice to girls, and that one should always be a gentleman,” he said. “I don’t have a lot of experience… Bulma’s my only female friend, actually, but it just seemed like the right thing to do.” He shrugged, then his brow furrowed. “Why? Was it bad? I won’t do it anymore if you didn’t like it.” 

So Chichi had been right. It was just a sweet gesture, but a giggle escaped her and she covered her mouth with her fingers. “I’ve never had a friend who’s a boy,” Chichi said. She’d hardly had any friends at all, in fact. “I guess we’re even. ...And I thought it was nice,” she added as a quiet afterthought. 

Goku silently offered his arm again, and she linked her arm through his for the remainder of the short walk home.

===============

It had been weeks now that Goku had been coming over nearly every day after school to do homework and train. Some days, Chichi was so swamped she couldn’t join him, but she’d recently taken to doing her homework in the dojo so they could at least be in the same room together.

One evening, about a month after the first time he came over, Ox sat Chichi down in the family room after Goku had gone home. 

“Chichi,” he said seriously in a tone that let Chichi know he meant business. 

She swallowed hard; she had an inkling of what he was about to say, and she wasn’t looking forward to it--no teenage girl wanted to have a conversation about _boys_ with their father, after all. 

“Goku approached me about you entering into the local tournament coming up,” he said, completely throwing Chichi’s expectations out the window. She’d been afraid that her father was going to ask if they were dating--to which Chichi couldn’t answer yes or no honestly, because she had _no idea_ what they were. The tournament was a subject she could handle.

“I don’t know if I’m going to,” Chichi said. “I’ve got a big test coming up, and I think I should take the time I have left to study.” 

Ox sighed. “You’re a bright girl. You take after your mother, in fact, and you’ve never given me reason to worry about your grades. But I don’t want you to hold back from something you really want to do just because you’re worried about school. Goku told me he thought you might not enter for that reason, but I want you to know that if you do, you have my blessing and I’ll be rooting for you at the edge of the ring.” 

Tears sprang to her eyes unbidden. “Dad,” she whispered, overcome by a sudden wave of emotion. “Thank you.” She practically leapt into his wide-open arms, letting the tears fall as he hugged her close. “Do you think mom would be proud?” 

Ox nodded, burying his face into her hair. “She would be _so_ proud of you, my dear. You are a kind, smart, beautiful girl. And I know that we don’t always see eye to eye, but I want you to know that if you ever need to talk to me about school, or martial arts, or… or _boys_ , I will listen, okay?” He hesitated on the last item, but Chichi giggled into the embrace anyway. That one had always been a point of contention between them since she’d first turned an interested eye toward the opposite sex, but it was clear to her father that she wasn’t a little kid anymore. 

“Thanks, dad,” she murmured against his massive form. “I’ll think about the tournament, okay?” She knew he would just about burst with pride if she placed, and that thought alone was nearly enough to sway her. 

As Chichi pulled back, she saw Ox’s shining eyes. As big and scary as he seemed to everyone else, she knew his tender side like no other. Her mother’s passing had affected them both, but Ox had doubled down and been the best father he could under the circumstances, even though he bore the pain of losing the love of his life. Now Chichi was his only focus, and he would never let her come to any harm. She knew it was hard for him to see her becoming more and more independent as she grew older, which was why her next question was so difficult to ask: 

“Dad? When you said I could talk to you about boys…” 

Ox physically braced himself, comically placing his hands over his face and peeking through his fingers. “Please tell me you’re going to wait until you’re thirty to date,” he stage-whispered, fear in his eyes. 

She giggled. “Well, I don’t want to wait _that_ long, but… people at school always see Goku come home with me, and I think they think we’re a couple,” she said. “And even I don’t know what we are--I mean, he’s a good friend, but we’ve never talked about it, and I’m not even sure if he knows what people are saying, but-”

“Chichi, slow down,” Ox said, holding his hands up. He pinched the bridge of his nose and chuckled into his palm. “I’ve known this was coming. I think Goku is a nice boy. And while I think you’re both too young for a serious relationship right now, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your schoolwork, I don’t see anything wrong with spending time with him.” 

Chichi’s eyes lit up. In Ox-speak, that was practically a go-ahead. “Oh, thank you, daddy!” she squealed, jumping up and giving him another hug. “Now, do you wanna spar with me so I’m ready in case I enter the tournament?”

===============

Without her realizing it, Goku had slowly integrated Chichi into his friend group. One lunch period, he’d managed to coax her away from her spot on the wall to join them on the grass, and that’s where they sat thereafter. Once a week, Chichi brought lunch for all the boys, which was no small task, with appetites like theirs. But she was happy to do it, and they treated her like one of the guys.

Except Goku. 

Lately, she’d caught him staring at her when he thought she couldn’t see him. It had started with fleeting glances, but eventually became so noticeable that Krillin elbowed his friend to snap him out of it during one of Chichi’s stories about growing up with a martial arts champion for a father. 

She did her own fair share of staring, of course, but she was _way_ more surreptitious about it. At least she thought so, until Bulma (who used to date Yamcha and was now pursuing the hot, aloof exchange student, Chichi had come to learn) officially joined their group and called her on it one afternoon while the two of them were walking together. 

“So, you and Goku are quite the couple,” the blue-haired beauty teased. 

“We aren’t dating,” Chichi replied reflexively, her go-to defense when nosy enquirers wanted to know. 

“Oh, but everyone knows you are,” Bulma continued, pressing the issue almost to the point of Chichi’s annoyance. “Except the two of you, apparently.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Chichi asked, stopping in her tracks and crossing her arms to face the third year. 

“You’re obviously pining for each other. You walk arm-in-arm to your house every day after school, and Goku will _not_ shut up about you whenever you’re not around. I think that qualifies you both, even if you deny it.” 

Chichi opened her mouth to respond, then closed it. And then opened it again, knowing full well she resembled a gaping fish as she tried to come up with a good rebuttal. “But we’ve never kissed,” she said lamely. 

One side of Bulma’s mouth quirked up in a grin. “Yet,” she replied ominously. “What’s the hold-up? You guys are so cute. You’ll be the academy’s new power couple once Vegeta and I graduate. Hell, I think you’re giving us a run for our money already and you don’t even realize it.” 

Even though she knew they weren’t dating yet, Chichi kept her mouth shut after that, having nothing good to say in response. Her face was burning, and she pressed forward, arms crossed over her middle protectively. “I have to get to class,” she muttered as they reached a crossroads in the hallway, and she left Bulma without saying goodbye. 

She barely paid attention all through class, running over everything that had given Bulma that impression. Had Goku _really_ been talking about her nonstop, or was she exaggerating? Chichi did have to admit that he was on her mind constantly, his goofy grin spending more and more time in her thoughts than anything else. 

She blew out a breath. 

As long as it didn’t affect her grades, it didn’t matter. Maybe she _should_ talk to him about it. If they at least made their… whatever it was, official, then maybe the what-ifs wouldn’t weigh so heavily on her mind and she could finally get some peace.

===============

Chichi strode confidently to the doors of her school, hands gripping the straps of her backpack as she steeled herself to see Goku. She’d asked him to meet her before class started that morning outside of her locker, but when she got there, he was nowhere to be found.

The tournament was in a week. All she had to do was show up for the preliminaries, qualify, and she’d be in. Goku would be thrilled to hear that she had decided to enter, but as the minutes ticked by and the beginning of class loomed on the clock, an uneasy pit grew in the bottom of Chichi’s stomach. He still hadn’t shown up. 

When it got to be time to go to class, she left a note tucked into the grill of her locker in case he came late and took off down the hallway. All throughout first period, she couldn’t help but feel like he’d stood her up, especially after promising to be there. 

At lunch, she approached the boys as they stood in a circle by Krillin’s locker. Goku wasn’t with them, leading her to believe that maybe he hadn’t even come to school today. But wouldn’t he have texted her, at least? 

“Oh, hey Chichi,” Krillin said, startled by her presence even though she’d been spending her lunches among the group for quite some time now. 

Tien and Yamcha shuffled their feet uncomfortably as she shifted her gaze to each of their faces in turn. 

“Hey. Is Goku at school today? I haven’t seen him.” 

“No…” Krillin said, shaking his head, his bald head suddenly glistening with sweat. “Uh, he…”

Tien screwed his eyes shut and grimaced. “Just tell her, Krillin.” 

Krillin swallowed hard, refusing to look Chichi in the eyes. 

Panic welled up within her as she waited for the him to spit it out. Scenarios flashed through her mind--had something happened to Goku?

“It sounds harsh coming from me,” Krillin hissed back at Tien, before finally gathering the courage to look at Chichi head-on. “Coach told Goku his head wasn’t in the fight because he was letting himself get distracted by… well. By you. So he’s taking a few days off from school with permission from his teachers to do his homework at home and train at the martial arts academy in town.” 

“But isn’t the tournament a whole week away?” Chichi asked, trying to sound understanding even though it hurt. But she understood--the same thing was happening to her, after all. 

“You can still hang out with us if you want,” Tien said in his usual indifferent tone. “No reason to make you go sit by yourself on the wall again.” 

“Oh, um, thanks,” Chichi said, awkwardly falling in a half-step behind them as they turned as a group and made their way outside. She was relieved when Bulma joined them until the other girl shot her a pitying expression. Did she know, too? Had everyone besides her heard? 

Or was it something more than a simple week-long break before the tournament? 

_Why hadn’t Goku texted her himself?_

===============

“Is there something wrong, sweetie?” Ox asked against Chichi’s closed door that night. She had her homework spread out in front of her on her bed, but she was having difficulty focusing.

She’d texted Goku after school asking if they could talk. He had read the message, but hadn’t replied. Well, fine, that told her everything she needed to know. He was ignoring her on purpose and didn’t even have the _gentlemanly_ balls to explain it to her himself. 

“Come in, dad,” she sighed. 

Ox’s huge frame took up the entire doorway as he leaned against one side. “Goku didn’t come home with you today. Is something the matter?” 

Chichi threw her hands up in exasperation. “I don’t know, he won’t respond to me,” she said, tossing her phone unceremoniously onto her pillow. “Krillin said the coach told Goku to take a week off school to focus on training and not get distracted. By me specifically.” 

“Ah,” Ox said, nodding like he understood. “My sensei said much the same to me about your mother. She wouldn’t let me hear the end of it for weeks.” 

“So you ignored her, too?” 

“Not intentionally, but I was so focused on my training I had time for little else.” 

Chichi’s lower lip jutted out. “It sucks.” 

“I know, sweetie,” Ox said sympathetically. “And I couldn’t apologize enough to her. Only after a week of bringing her flowers was she willing to talk to me again.” 

“We aren’t even in a relationship, so I don’t have anything to be mad about,” Chichi huffed, wrapping her arms around her knees and drawing them up to her chest. 

“Just because you haven’t spoken to Goku about the nature of your, uh, _friendship_ ,” Ox emphasised, “doesn’t mean you can’t have expectations about it. Let this time pass, but do talk to him. Tell him how you feel. Men are oblivious sometimes and need to be told what to do when it comes to matters of the heart.” 

Chichi tilted her head to the side and rested her cheek on her kneecap. “What should I do until then?” 

“You plan on entering the tournament, don’t you? Why don’t you spar with your old dad?” 

“Alright,” Chichi said. A sudden determination filled her. If Goku was going to push her out of his mind to focus on the tournament, then she would do the same to him. And better yet, she would win.

===============

Kick. Block. Kick. Dodge.

Ox took Chichi through the old drills he’d taught her as a young child and which had served her well throughout her training. Occasionally, she threw in an added move she’d picked up from Goku, and finally, toward the end of their session, she tried something of her own: a technique she’d been researching for quite some time, but hadn’t had the skill level to attempt. 

Beginning with a feint, Chichi drew her father’s eye away from the true attack, gearing her body up into a roundhouse kick… which miserably failed. 

Ox saw it coming, threw up one of his beefy forearms to block it, and knocked Chichi flat on her butt on the dojo floor. 

“ _Daaad!_ ” she cried out, pouting when he grinned down at her. 

“Well-executed, young lady. Why don’t we call it a day and go out for an ice cream? We can practice more tomorrow.” 

“I’m not six anymore, dad,” Chichi said with a roll of her eyes as she took his proffered hand and yanked herself to her feet. 

“But do you want ice cream anyway?” Ox asked, eyebrows raised. He knew her so well.

“...Yeah,” she conceded, bumping him on the shoulder with her fist.

===============

On the morning of the tournament, Ox knocked on Chichi’s door as she was contemplating which outfit to wear. They were becoming old, threadbare, and she finally selected her newest one (even though it was still four years old and starting to fit a little… uh, _tight_ in some places).

“Just getting dressed!” she called, slipping the _cheongsam_ on over her head. She peeked out through a barely-cracked door to see her father with his hands behind his back.

“I’ve got something for you,” he sing-songed, practically vibrating with excitement. 

“Well, what is it?” she asked trying to peer behind him and see.

He pulled a package out from behind his back and thrust it into her hands. Chichi took it and opened it to find a brand new uniform inside. Gasping, she pulled it out and let the fabric cascade down her fingers. “Wow.” 

“It’s modelled after your mother’s,” Ox King said, face beaming with pride. “I had the seamstress in town do a rush order so it would be ready in time. I hope you like it.” 

“Oh, dad,” Chichi whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. “Thank you. I do. I _love_ it.” She threw her arms around her father for a quick but emotional hug before retreating back into her bedroom to try it on--delighted to discover that it fit perfectly. When she emerged and went downstairs, Ox was waiting for her by the front door. 

“Oh, you look just like her,” he breathed as he watched her descend the stairs, eyes glistening. “You’re so beautiful. And you’re going to kick serious butt today.” 

Chichi grinned as she stretched out her joints, limbering up her shoulders and hips as they left the house. Goku be damned; she was entering this for her and her family, not to impress some boy. 

Besides, once he saw her ferocity in the ring, he would regret giving her time to focus--however short--before the tournament. 

When they arrived at the arena, Ox dropped Chichi off at the entrance to the preliminaries. Chichi realized with a start that she would be entering the adult competition for the first time, now that she was overage for the youth division. 

The first thing she noticed when she entered was that there were hardly any other women there. Hyper-aware of the attention focused on her from every point in the room, she held her head high and marched up to the registration desk. In her brief scan of the room, she realized Goku wasn’t here yet. Good. The earlier she was, the sooner she would be fighting. 

But then she looked down at the registration form and saw that Goku’s name was first on the list--but he was still nowhere to be seen. Chichi sighed. That meant he had probably rented one of the private rings to warm up in and already had a head start on her. There was still an hour and a half until she would be called up, so after receiving her participant’s number, she went in search of her friend. 

Goku wasn’t difficult to find. He was in one of the training rooms just as she suspected; the door was marked by a plaque with four stars on it and was the only one that was closed. She pressed her ear to it and heard Goku’s coach tell him, “Again.” 

The following grunts and yells told her Goku was running through the same drills he always did before a fight, but now she could hear the raw aggression in his voice. She knew placing in this competition meant everything to him. 

Waiting until he was finished with his warm up, she knocked gently on the door. 

“Who is it?” his coach’s gruff voice boomed through the door after a moment’s hesitation. 

“It’s Chichi,” she said, knowing full well the coach shouldn’t know who she was. 

“We’re busy, please go away,” the coach replied before Goku interrupted him. 

“No, let her in.” 

The door creaked long and low as it slowly opened to reveal the school coach’s disgruntled face. “He is trying to focus. What do you want?” 

“To spar,” she replied simply, staring over his shoulder at Goku, decked out in a brand new orange _gi_ with the school’s crest stitched onto the left side. 

Goku looked like a deer caught in the headlights under her scrutinizing stare, but he nodded and stood off to the side, gesturing for her to join him. 

The coach sat on a bench to the side of the ring, crossing his arms. “He will destroy you, girl. If you intend to participate in the tournament, I would not recommend this.” 

“She can take me,” Goku said confidently. “She’s good. I told you.” 

The coach rolled his eyes. “Very well. On the count of three…”

===============

Chichi almost had him. One little slip-up, and she would have beaten him. But Goku’s sheer strength won over her, even if she was faster than he was. She would have to find a way to use her speed to her advantage if she was to face him in the arena.

There was no doubt in her mind that it would come down to the two of them at some point. Despite the city’s reputation for raising champions, most of them left and moved elsewhere to train under different masters. From what Chichi could tell, Goku was the best they had--for now. 

The only downside was that the coach had actually been impressed with Chichi’s skill, and she was afraid he would get it into his head to join in pestering her to become one of his students. 

After easily passing the preliminary round, Chichi eagerly awaited in the bleachers with the other contestants to find out the randomly-matched pairs. Names appeared at the bottom of the board as the announcer drew paper after paper. Finally, hers was drawn opposite someone she hadn’t met before. Their turn to fight would come five matches in, so Chichi still had time to devise her strategy. 

As the tournament wore on, the victorious moved onto the next round one by one. Chichi was among them, having easily pinned her opponent in so few moves she wondered how he had passed the preliminaries. 

In the next round, she was matched with one of Goku’s classmates. Knowing he would prove to be more of a challenge, Chichi opted to duck and weave around him as he tried to land a hit on her, then threw him off balance and out of the ring, ending the match and qualifying her for the semifinals. 

Out of Goku’s friends, only Tien was still in, having bested Yamcha in the last round. Krillin had been matched with Goku in the last set and the winner for that one was clear, though the fight had been more drawn out than the others. 

He and Yamcha sat on the sidelines next to Bulma cheering on the rest of them. As Chichi made her way to the change rooms to freshen up and prepare for her next fight, Bulma called out to her. 

The other girl jogged to catch up and caught her before she re-entered the building. “You’re doing amazing out there,” Bulma said with a grin. “Are you hoping to face Goku in the last round?” 

Chichi nodded. “I’m going to beat him,” she said, her words sounding more confident than she felt. But her wins had boosted her ego, and as long as her pride wasn’t her downfall, she would do okay. 

“Yeah, go get him,” Bulma said with a punch on her arm. She leaned in conspiratorially. “I’ll be rooting for you.” 

Only two fights remained before the finals: Goku versus Tien, and Chichi versus a man whom she’d never met named Yamu. Her fight was first, and it took nearly the entire time limit for her to best him, finally pinning him down against the edge of the ring for the full count. He had bowed to her after the fight before wordlessly walking off the ring and into the locker rooms. 

Chichi watched Goku and Tien’s fight with trepidation. Both of them were highly skilled, Tien’s experience an easy match for Goku’s talent. From what Chichi knew about the older student, he had been training from a young age just like Goku, but with a rival master. When Goku first arrived at the academy, the two had been bitter rivals. But within a matter of weeks, Goku had won over the stoic martial artist and they had become reluctant friends, now working side by side to best each other in every school competition and beyond. 

The sheer amount of skill displayed between the two of them intimidated her. If Chichi won--no, _when_ Chichi won the next round, she would have to fight whichever of them prevailed. It was a daunting challenge, but one that she’d been training for. 

It was close, but Goku pinned Tien in the last remaining seconds before the sudden death timer kicked in. Then Goku helped up his opponent, both their chests heaving, and they bowed to each other before exiting the ring. 

He caught her eye and smiled, sliding his sweatbands off before disappearing inside the building.

 

Chichi stared in disbelief from the outside of the ring. This wasn’t where she was meant to be--and yet there was the announcer declaring Goku the winner of the tournament. 

She hadn’t even landed a blow on him. He’d dodged and feinted and weaved until… until what?  
She’d tripped and fell out of the ring? Her own momentum had been her downfall after all, and she was so focused on _him_ that she hadn’t seen it. 

Goku ignored the crowd’s wild applause and watched as Chichi climbed back into the ring. 

She dusted herself off, tears welling up in her eyes. She could tell he didn’t realize how much he’d hurt her with his neglect, and now she didn’t even have a victory over him as her consolation prize. 

“Good fight, Chi,” he said, mouth splitting into an ear-to-ear grin. “I’m real proud of ya.”

 _Proud_? He was _proud?_ How _dare_ he say that after he didn’t so much as strike back? 

She was _seething-_ until he pulled her into a hug. 

“It was the only way I could win, Chi, you were so good.” 

“You owe me a rematch,” she hissed back, but accepted it and melted into his embrace. He’d been training for this for a long time, and she only decided last week for sure that she was even going to enter, after all. What was she expecting?

After the announcer had given them their medals, Goku led Chichi out of the ring with her arm looped in his just like they always did. 

The lobby was in an uproar. The other contestants flocked around the pair, cheering them and offering noisy congratulations. Among the crowd, news reporters from every local station pushed through to get their footage of the victor. Chichi was pulled aside for interview after interview once each station was done speaking with Goku, but she never took her eyes off him. 

Finally, once the buzzards were satisfied with their headlining stories, he snaked his way through the remaining fans and grabbed Chichi by the hand, leading her back into the private room and closing the door. 

“Whew, I thought we were never getting out of there,” he said, taking a moment to catch his breath. 

Chichi couldn’t help but giggle. As personable as he was, Goku was just like her when it came to big crowds. He didn’t mind being among them, but being the center of attention and having so many people hanging on his every word had flustered him, tinting his cheeks pink. 

“That was the best time I’ve ever had at a tournament, Chi. Thanks for such a good fight!” 

She searched his face, looking for any sign of insincerity--and finding none. Who was she kidding? Goku was like an open book, wearing his heart on his sleeve and leaving nothing hidden. “You were amazing,” she whispered, chuckling breathlessly as she rested her hands on her knees, back pressed against the wall. “How did you get to be so _fast_?” 

Goku grinned. “Well, I wasn’t wearing my wrist and ankle weights when we fought,” he said with a shrug. 

She _had_ noticed he hadn’t been wearing his signature blue sweatbands, but hadn’t thought anything of it in the fury of her attempted blows. “Just how much do those things weigh?” 

“Eight pounds each on the wrists and twelve on my ankles,” he shrugged. “But the coach wants me to put them up two pounds apiece starting next semester.” 

Chichi’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. That was _forty_ extra pounds he’d shed for his fight with her! No wonder he’d moved like the wind. There was nothing in the rules against dampening your own ability; only enhancers were banned. Goku’s natural strength and agility had won the day, and Chichi had never stood a chance. 

And somehow, she couldn’t find it within herself to be upset about it. 

“Chi,” he said quietly, drawing her attention back to his face. “I know a lot of people have been askin’ about us. I’m sorry I never came to see you at school that day I said we’d talk.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away guiltily. “I’ve never broken a promise like that before.”

“Thank you for apologizing,” Chichi replied, face softening with pity. “I’m not really sure what I wanted to say, anyway.” 

Goku looked up at her sharply. “I think I know. You were gonna ask why people are talkin’.” 

Chichi supposed that was true, even if she already knew the answer to that question. Her heart raced at the direction this conversation was going. “Yeah, I guess so.” 

“Bulma said we were acting like a couple, like she and Yamcha used to be.” 

“She said that to me, too.” 

Goku’s face was tomato-red now, and surely her own face matched its hue. “I don’t know much about bein’ a couple, having never had a girlfriend before, but everyone tells me it’s really nice. They said that couples spend a lot of time together and tell each other everything, which I think we already do a lot of, and…”

“...and what?” Chichi whispered. 

Goku swallowed hard. “Bulma said something about kissin’,” he mumbled, looking away in embarrassment. 

Chichi didn’t know he even had the _ability_ to feel embarrassed, and yet here he was looking just as shy and uncomfortable as she felt. Her breath caught in her throat as her heart went into overdrive, pounding against her ribcage so hard she swore he could hear it. Her mouth felt too dry to speak, so she looked away instead. 

Goku stepped forward into her space, reaching a tentative hand out to touch her shoulder. “Chichi?” he asked, voice wavering. 

“Y-yes, Goku?” she asked, dragging her eyes back to his with every ounce of willpower she could muster. She trembled all over, unable to keep the adrenaline from coursing through her veins. 

He leaned forward, so close she could feel his breath on her cheeks, before he paused uncertainly and swallowed again. “Can I kiss ya?” 

Dumbfounded, Chichi could only nod silently, eyes drawn to his lips. 

Goku tilted her chin up toward him with a gentle finger before closing the gap between them, pressing his lips softly to hers. His other hand rested on the small of her back, drawing her in and holding her softly in place. 

Chichi’s brain short-circuited. She’d never been kissed before, wasn’t sure what to do with her hands (she eventually wrapped her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers through his oh-so-soft hair), but she only knew in that moment that she never wanted it to end. Without thinking, she surged forward, flicking her tongue out to run along his bottom lip and exploring the shape of his mouth, eager to know every little part of it. 

Returning her burst of enthusiasm, Goku pulled her in tight and met her ambitious tongue with his, opening his mouth to her explorations and venturing into hers in return. 

She sucked his top lip in between her teeth, laving the soft, plump flesh and eliciting and breathless moan. He returned the favor with her bottom lip, their heads moving in tandem, twisting this way and that and losing all sense of time and presence. 

Finally, breathlessly, they pulled apart and Chichi gasped for air. Shyly, she glanced up at Goku through her lashes to see him still staring at her mouth through half-lidded eyes. Just as she was about to lean in to kiss him again, the sharp knock announcing someone’s presence at the door caused them to jump apart. With a giggle, they looked over at each other and fought to hide what they’d just been doing.

Goku adjusted his _gi_ , Chichi straightened her _cheongsam_ , and they moved in sync to open the door together.

===============

Goku met Chichi outside her house early Monday morning. “Ready to go?” he asked, grinning down at her and reaching for her books to carry them under his free arm as he took her hand with the other.

Returning his grin, Chichi nodded, cheeks flushed with the cool morning air and giddy with the realization that they would be walking to school as boyfriend and girlfriend. 

Today, they would announce to all who wondered that yes, they were _finally_ a couple, and they couldn’t possibly be happier about it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [Maiika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maiika) for hosting the Gochi Awards and also for reading over this story! And thanks to [RockyKelboa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rockykelboa) and [LadyCressa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladycressa) for reading it over as well. <3


End file.
